


metanoia

by baby_ah19



Category: Hazbin Hotel (Web Series)
Genre: Abuse, Alastor Being a Jerk (Hazbin Hotel), Alastor Being an Idiot (Hazbin Hotel), Alastor Speaks French (Hazbin Hotel), Alastor is Bad at Feelings (Hazbin Hotel), Alcohol, Dancing and Singing, Drug Addiction, Drug Withdrawal, Fluff, Flustered Alastor (Hazbin Hotel), Hurt Angel Dust (Hazbin Hotel), Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Past Abuse, Poor Angel Dust (Hazbin Hotel), Romantic Soulmates, Sex Work, Sex Worker Angel Dust (Hazbin Hotel), Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, Violence, Weapons
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-05
Updated: 2020-12-13
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:20:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27895957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/baby_ah19/pseuds/baby_ah19
Summary: Alastor has always had his mark, even after death when he was supposed to lose it. He just never expected to find his other part in none other than Angel Dust.
Relationships: Alastor/Angel Dust (Hazbin Hotel), Charlie Magne/Vaggie
Comments: 8
Kudos: 99





	1. His Mark

**Author's Note:**

> And yet, he never lost this mark as he was supposed to. As everyone else did when they died.

Alastor’s mark on his shoulder did not bother him. 

He got it five years before his death. The mark that was supposed to tie him to his soulmate. And yet Alastor has never known who they were, their name, or absolutely anything about them. The angel wings and music notes on his shoulder was a very twisted joke, considering he fell into the exact opposite place. Right into the heart of Hell. 

And yet, he never lost this mark as he was supposed to. As everyone else did when they died.

The picture show in front of him had him grinning though. Charlotte’s sorry excuse for a redemption hotel promised to be more entertainment than he had seen in decades. Of course, they didn’t trust him in the slightest - though Charlotte tried her best not to show it, Alastor could practically smell the caution on her and Vagatha every time they spoke - but if they did, it wouldn’t be as fun now, would it? 

“Now, I was thinking about everything we could do to attract more patrons. Surely there are demons and lost souls who’d love to repent!” Charlotte told them as she waved a paper around. Alastor was included in this meeting since he has been investing in this hotel’s renovations ever since Charlotte ‘ordered’ him to help them for as long as he wished. 

“Okay, but why am I a part of this discussion. I have better things to do.” Angel piped in from his seat on the bartop - much to Husker’s annoyance - and tried to steal some of the bottles that Husker had hidden specifically from Angel. 

“Like what? Going to whore yourself out, slut?” Angel’s face only showed a grin as he leaned over Husker with the sultriest look on his face. “Only if it’s for you, baby.” Alastor watched with his same smile as Husker’s face scrunched up in disgust and his eyes narrowed. The prostitute’s flirting and teasing always went a little bit too much. At least he refrained from touching or going too far with Alastor. Otherwise, he wasn’t sure how he’d control himself from ripping one of the spider’s limbs off.

“Can you take something seriously for once in your miserable afterlife?” Vagatha growled at him and Angel groaned loudly. “Can you chill? Man, you’re all no fun.” He whined and Alastor’s grin widened. 

“On the contrary, my dear. You all bring such joy into my otherwise boring life. Now Charlotte darling, what is it that you’ve been coming up with to increase the patron numbers in your hotel?” Everyone turned back to Charlie and she cleared her throat. 

“Well, for Angel, I was thinking that maybe he could help our patrons with their drug withdrawals. Since he’s been doing such a good job himself, I thought he would be an excellent candidate for this!” Angel’s face heated up a little at the compliment and grumbled, placing his chin onto his palm. 

“Sure, once we actually have demons around here who want to get over their drug addiction, your highness.” Charlie suddenly got excited and pulled out another paper. 

“Well, I think I found a couple of them already, Angel! I saw them on our way here from shopping and I spoke to them and they said they’d be here sometime this week to check the place out and perhaps decide to stay!” Charlie was jumping from excitement and Alastor grinned as he watched her. 

“Excellent job, my dear! This means we should start getting the hotel and rooms for them immediately! We can’t disappoint our guests now, can we? Nifty darling!” The little demon appeared in front of them, the cyclops was the absolute cutest thing and even Angel liked her. And Angel wasn’t exactly fond of everyone in this hotel.

“We will be having some guests soon, darling. Might want to get their rooms ready immediately and in top shape!” 

“Oh, of course! I can’t wait for them to see their rooms as soon as I’m done with them! They’ll be so prim and proper that they won’t know what hit them!” She practically squealed and then disappeared to go get the rooms cleaned already. 

Vaggie smiled when she noticed how excited Charlie was that everyone was going to be trying their hardest for their first couple of patrons. And what made Charlie happy, made Vaggie even happier. 

“Since you guys have everything figured out, just send me the schedule her highness is going to prepare so I can make sure it doesn’t clash with my working hours.” He then turned his attention to Husker and batted his eyelashes at the cat demon. “Mind giving me some water then? Or something that’s not filled with alcohol at least? I’m so thirsty I’ll start choking soon. And not the kind I enjoy.” 

Husker’s face showed the disgust he had for Angel’s innuendos, obviously bothered by it but no matter how much he insulted the pornstar, Angel never let up. “Water. I don’t think you could even stop yourself from getting drunk from something other than that, somebody like you.” Angel’s grin dimmed a little but then he just replaced it with a smile. 

“I’m sure you would like to know, honey.” Angel took the water from Husker and downed it, noticing how everyone was looking at him, and raised an eyebrow. “What?” 

“Actually Angel, I was thinking. Maybe you could...well, maybe you could decrease the amount of work you have to do a week? You know it’s all for naught if you keep having sex even if you stopped taking drugs and drinking alcohol.” Charlie’s words wiped the smile completely from Angel’s face and he glared at her this time. 

“Listen here, your highness. You may be from the royal family and you’ve probably never once in your life had to go through this, but I made a deal with Val. A contract, ever heard of that? Whenever he tells me to get my ass over there for a shoot, I’m obligated to go there no matter how much I would love to stay here and sleep the day away and ignore all of y’all. He owns my soul. Therefore, he owns me. You’re lucky he even lets me stay in this hotel no matter the damage it’s causing to my reputation.” Charlie winced with every insult that Angel threw at her and Vaggie, glared at him. 

“But it’s all your fault for getting involved with an overlord, to begin with! Who makes a deal with one no matter how bad their situation is? You just like to whore yourself out and be slut.” 

“Vaggie!” Charlie cried out and placed a hand on Vaggie’s shoulder while Alastor’s glare just hardened.

“Not everyone got to hell and immediately had a fucking golden spoon stuck up their ass, you bitch. I had to claw my way up to where I am right now. Unlike you lot. So fucking excuse me for doing what I could to not be exterminated every fucking year!” He slammed two of his hands on the table and the water spilled all over his jacket and he groaned in frustration. 

Meanwhile, Alastor was incredibly amused by the whole ordeal. This was the kind of entertainment he had signed up for. Watching them all struggle to make amends and trying to be perfect and ‘repent’ for their sins and then keep falling over and over was the highlight of his day. It almost amused him as much as his broadcasts did. His smile never left his face and his eyes only showed glee as Angel Dust whined about his wet outfit. 

“Fuck y’all. I’m going to go and change. If any of you need me, don’t bother and just fuck off.” he growled and moved off of the bartop and made his way up the stairs to his room so he can change. Charlie tried calling to him but Alastor stopped her. 

“There’s no use, my dear. He won’t listen to you or any of us right now for that matter. Perhaps he’ll feel more obliged to cooperate after he relaxes for a day or two by the time our new patrons decide to show up. If he wishes to stay, he knows what he has to do! And nobody likes free things more than our dear Angel Dust!” Charlie tried to smile and show the same enthusiasm Alastor was showing, but it was hard when one of her friends was upset. 

Vaggie placed a hand on Charlie’s and smiled slightly. “The demon’s right, Charlie. Let’s give him a day or two to calm down and then I’m sure he’ll come back to you asking for some good boy points. Let’s end today’s meeting here everyone, thank you all for joining and listening. Here is the list for everything we’re planning if Baxter and Crymini decide to join us.” She gave the paper in Charlie’s hand to Alastor who tucked it into the pocket of his coat to look over later and share his ideas or fix Charlie’s once he had the time for it. 

It was finally the evening in Pentagram City, almost close to curfew and Angel still wasn’t back. Charlie was worried but Alastor promised her to stay there at the bar for when Angel came back and Vaggie was more than happy to take her girlfriend to their room so they can relax and forget about the pornstar about the day. 

Though it wasn’t until close to midnight that said pornstar finally entered the hotel, wearing nothing but something barely covering him. Shorts and a crop top, but Alastor wasn’t much interested in what he was wearing and had his eyes on Ange’s face. At least he had a sorry excuse for a coat around his shoulders. Alastor took a sip of his whiskey.

“Aww, Smiles, did you stay up to make sure I’m safe? How thoughtful of you! Or did you have something else on your mind?” He batted his eyelashes at the Radio Demon, thrusting his chest forward and Alastor’s eye twitched for a second, though his smile didn’t diminish in the slightest. 

“Not at all, my dear! I have simply offered to make sure you returned safely to the hotel on behalf of our princess, Charlotte! Believe me, when I say, I do not need nor want any of your services!” Angel shrugged his shoulders, grinning at Alastor. “Well, once again, your loss. My services are always amazing.” He laughed and then threw the coat onto the bartop, leaning over to see if he could find anything that Husker had forgotten to lock away and cursed when he could only find water in the fridge. Curse that cat for being so efficient. 

Alastor kept his eyes everywhere but on Angel, seeing as he was practically naked and it made him uncomfortable that the spider demon was bending over right next to him to get to the fridge when he could’ve simply walked around the bar counter to get there. He knew it was him just trying to be seductive and teasing, so he tried not to give in to what the prostitute wanted. 

“Perhaps it would be good for you to refrain from giving yourself a morning headache. It is possible that our new patrons would come tomorrow or even the day afterward. We should be able to give a flawless first impression, shouldn’t we?” Alastor and finally turned to look at Angel, who moved so that his black eye was looking at Alastor and for once he noticed how the contrast between his white and black eyes was very interesting. Not everyone had different colored eyes. So Angel Dust was a rarity, in his own way, Alastor guessed.

“Oh, I would love to, Smiles. But you have to remember, I already have an impression on everyone. There’s no changing the feelings I bring out of every man and woman.” He stroked under Alastor’s chin and eyes narrowed at the other, grin becoming scary as he pushed him away with his staff.

“Keep your distance from me, Angel Dust. I won’t be responsible should you lose a limb.” Angel snorted and nodded his head. 

“Yes, yes, your five-foot rule. Though I wouldn’t mind, I have six of these limbs after all.” He teased before grabbing a large bottle of water, sighing in disappointment. It was while he was leaning over that Alastor noticed the pink marking on his back, right between his shoulder blades and he almost dropped his staff and the glass of whiskey in his hand. The pink marking on Angel’s back was exactly the same as Alastor’s and his shoulder almost started burning at the realization. 

He downed the whiskey in his glass completely and suddenly stood up, startling Angel. “I shall be on my way then, Angel Dust! Please make sure you don’t try to get into the bar for some alcohol! I do not wish to deal with Husker when he becomes pissed at you!” He did not give Angel the chance to answer or confirm that he would obey Alastor’s orders before he opened a portal so that he could land in his radio tower, taking a deep breath. 

He needed more whiskey.


	2. Angel Wings and Music Notes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You are an interesting one, Angel Dust, indeed! What is it that you’re making? It smells absolutely sumptuous!” Angel blushed a little bore at the complicated and placed the egg over the pancetta, cutting it into two portions and handing a plate to Alastor.

Alastor could clearly remember the day in which he got his mark.

It was right after a long day of broadcasting and Alastor was on his way back to his apartment when he felt the tingling on his right shoulder. He didn’t check why it tingled and he didn’t scratch, not wanting to taint the skin and permanent tattoo on his shoulder with red marks. He already knew what it was, Alastor has been mocked and scorned for this all his life. The stories were more than enough for him to understand what the tingling signified. 

When he finally reached his apartment, calmness radiated off of him. He managed to place his coat and scarf on the hanger and then slowly move towards the full body mirror in his room. The sweater on his body slowly came off and he surveyed the new mark on his body. 

The angel wings looked soft, simple lines with a halo on top. The music notes surrounding it were drawn in cursive somehow, elegant and gorgeous. These marks were supposed to show something about your soulmate and it made Alastor wonder if his soulmate was going to be going to heaven. How ironic, considering that Alastor would probably be sent directly to hell. 

But the music notes made him wonder if they also enjoyed music as he did and if so, what kind of music did they enjoy? 

He remembered sleeping that night, content with the fact that now he can spit back into the faces of all those who told him he was a freak for not having his mark. And Alastor had been sure at the time that his soulmate would be special, much more so than others because he had to wait for them, so that meant that god must’ve taken his time in creating them for Alastor. 

And special they were indeed. Just, not in the way Alastor thought he would ever want or need. 

As soon as he’d landed in hell, Alastor completely forgot about his soulmate. Sure that the mark was gone and they would never really find each other in hell or heaven or anywhere. Even once he’d realized that his mark was still on his shoulder, truly like a tattoo permanently marked on his skin, he wasn’t interested in finding them anymore. 

Entertainment was all that Alastor could think about in this eternal afterlife. He craved to watch all of these lowlives suffer. To look down upon them as they continued to sin and wreck themselves and others in the process. There was a reason they ended up in hell, after all. 

But now...now that he knew who his soulmate was - hell’s most famous pornstar - it complicated things. Alastor knew that he should just kill him, another insect in this underworld like everyone else, but the problem was that he was still Charlie’s one and only patron that she was hell bent on somehow redeeming. 

Angel didn’t know that Alastor was his soulmate. He doubted that the spider even wanted a soulmate to begin with, what with his work and the fact that he enjoyed whoring himself out to every person willing to pay. 

Alastor sighed and took another swing of his drink, staring out into the darkness of hell. Even this late at night, there were demons and creeps of the world roaming around, trying to kill, steal, terrorize, and scare. But they all avoided Alastor’s tower, not wanting to become the radio demon’s next meal and it brought up the thought of his next broadcast. 

He wondered who should be the star of the show this time. Alastor would have to choose someone entertaining but also easy to catch. Oh, did he hate to have to chase his prey. Tiring himself out for a simple meal wasn’t something he liked to do. He preferred to be fresh and filled with buzzing excitement as he tortured and cut into his victim. 

These train of thoughts calmed him a bit and he thought about everything more rationally. Yes, of course, no need to worry about Angel finding out or even caring should he find out. Alastor had no intention of stripping in front of the spider nor telling him of the supposed connection they both shared. With those thoughts, he finished his drink and got up to get everything ready for his next broadcast.

Angel raised an eyebrow as Alastor disappeared into his portal and then grinned, walking up the stairs to his room. Fat Nuggets squealed and jumped off the bed as soon as he opened the door and he picked up his pet pig, laughing and giving him kisses. 

“Did you miss me, Nuggets? Daddy missed you, too. You know he never likes to leave you for so long.” He pouted and baby-talked Fat Nuggets, hugging him to his chest until he reached the bed and then put him down so that he could change his clothes to something much more comfortable, throwing them in the laundry bag before plopping onto the bed. 

Fat Nuggets squealed again and Angel grinned. “Right, right, how could I forget your food?” He laughed and went to bring Nuggets dinner for him, tipping it over so it would fall into his bowl and he sighed, looking around to see if there was anything else that needed cleaning up and noticed that his vanity was a complete mess from when he’d rushed to get ready a couple of hours before and then hadn’t cleaned up. 

While he was putting away his palettes, his phone buzzed and he looked down to see that it was a text from Valentino and his lips twitched downwards in a scowl. The Overlord had sent him his schedule and recordings for tomorrow and he sighed as he looked over them. He’d have to talk to Charlie about this, in case he was late again. 

Angel wasn’t usually late back to the hotel. He surprisingly managed to maintain curfew for the most part but he couldn’t do it all the time because of instances like this when his boss would schedule everything for Angel until late into the night. But dealing with Charlie will have to come after he’s slept a little tonight.

He finished up with his vanity and then looked up at himself, reaching behind to scratch his back and he felt the slightly harsh texture where his soulmate mark was. Angel hadn’t even noticed he still had it - because of its weird placement - until Valentino mentioned it the first time he undressed in front of the Overlord and lied about it, saying it was a tattoo from back when he was alive. Last thing he needed was for that Overlord to have something else to taunt and mock him for. 

Valentino would probably think Angel was even more rare if he found out that he still had his soulmate mark and gaining or burning his contract would become even harder for Angel. He was already trying to find ways to break his contract, but has had absolutely no luck whatsoever. The only way to break a contract with an Overlord was for said Overlord to rip the contract apart and claim that it is now dull and void. 

And Angel knew Valentino would never do that. Even if the arachnid were to become the most horrible and intolerable prostitute under Valentino, the moth would just kill him instead of ever letting him go. He wouldn’t lose an asset and let him go and bring money for someone else. 

Angel sighed as he curled up on the bed, hugging Fat Nuggets to his body once he jumped on the bed and closed his eyes to fall asleep again. 

Come morning, the hotel was buzzing with activity. Niffty was buzzing around the room, cleaning everything until it was spotless while Husker arranged the bar. Charlie and Vaggie were looking to change the interior of the lobby to something more fun and colorful so that their guests would feel comfortable there. 

Alastor was still not present when Angel came downstairs and saw the commotion, yawning as he leaned on the staircase and watched them in amusement. “What’s for breakfast? Popsicles again?” He asked with a teasing voice and Charlie turned around to look at him, jumping in her place. 

“Oh, Angel! You’re finally awake! I need something to ask of you for tomorrow!” He raised an eyebrow and shrugged. “After breakfast, princess. You know I can’t function with only air in my stomach.” He laughed and pushed her away from his face, moving to the kitchen to make some breakfast for himself since Niffty seemed to be too busy doing that. 

He wanted to make something with eggs and so he got what he needed from the fridge, the unsweetened almond milk, eggs, basil, onions, pancetta, and oregano. 

While Angel messed with the food in the kitchen, Alastor walked into the hotel to the sight of everyone busy working. It made him grin, seeing Niffty buzzing around to make everything perfect was always fun and even Husker seemed to actually put in the time and effort to clean the glasses and give a good first impression to their guests soon. 

“Splendid work you’re doing for this place, my dear! I’m sure it’s going to attract many a lost souls to come and seek redemption!” Alastor’s voice brought Charlie out of her conversation with Vaggie and Husker about the interior and she smiled brightly. 

“Right! I’m so excited to finally get more guests here! I can’t wait for them to come here and realize that it’s so much fun with our programs and schedules. You looked over the paper I gave you, right Al? So? What did you think?” Her eyes were glowing excitedly, all filled with hearts and promises of good things and her naivety and belief in her cause was infinitely amusing to Alastor. 

“Of course, my dear. I checked off all the ones I thought would be entertaining and simply eye-catching for all of the vermins around her. And I also added some more I thought would be quite fantastic!” He told her as he handed back the paper to her, with three more attached which were all notes as to why it would or wouldn’t work. 

He was ready to answer any of the questions she might’ve had concerning his ideas - Alastor was pretty sure she didn’t agree with most of his suggestions - his nose picked up on the scent coming from the kitchen and his curiosity had him following it without even giving Charlie the chance to stop him or start talking. 

Alastor found Angel Dust in the kitchen, skillfully handling two pans with two of his four visible arms while adjusting the heat with the rest. The smell was phenomenal and his grin broadened, his eyes showing his glee and curiosity. “Angel Dust! Who knew that you could handle your way around the kitchen?” 

Angel almost dropped everything in his hands when he heard Alastor’s booming voice, blushing brightly at the compliment and scowling. “Yeah well, you know literally nothing about me so you shouldn’t be surprised that I have so many talents. They don’t only lie in the porn industry, got it?” 

The Radio Demon’s eyes narrowed, still looking more amused than anything but it seemed like the mention of Angel’s very specific talents flustered and unnerved him. But it was too much fun for Angel so he didn’t really let up with his jokes and innuendos, he just didn’t touch Alastor more than the demon accepted. 

“You are an interesting one, Angel Dust, indeed! What is it that you’re making? It smells absolutely sumptuous!” Angel blushed a little bore at the complicated and placed the egg over the pancetta, cutting it into two portions and handing a plate to Alastor. 

“I made a little too much, you can have this much if you like. It’s simply an egg bake, my mamma always made this when she was in a good mood or before we went to school. Kept us full until we came back home for some of her excellent lunches.” He explained to Alastor and handed him a fork, taking one for himself so that he could taste and see if he’d done a good of a job like his mother used to do. She always made the best egg bake that Angel had ever tasted in his life. 

Alastor took the fork that Angel handed him, cutting up the egg so that he could get a good bite of everything at the same time. His eyes widened comically and his grin returned back to his face after he had finished chewing and swallowing. “Such a delightful dish! Why, I could see myself eating a whole saucepan of this!” 

The spider demon grinned back at him, flicking his hair slightly and winking at Alastor. “Told you already, Smiles. My mamma’s cooking has always been delicious!” He moved his own plate to his other set of arms and walked out of the kitchen, the only thing he left behind uncleaned was the saucepan and that he placed in the dishwasher for Niffty to take care of later.

Alastor stayed in the kitchen for a few moments longer, savoring the dish in his hands before putting his plate and fork in the dishwasher as well. The fact that the arachnid was such an excellent cook did nothing to help Alastor’s decision of completely ignoring him and paying him no mind. For surely this won’t be the last time Angel is going to cook and the deer demon found it very concerning that he would look forward to whatever else Angel would make for them. 

“Angel! There you are! About my request…?” Angel looked up at Charlie as he swallowed another mouthful of his egg bake and nodded his head. 

“You dance, right? I was thinking that maybe everyone could do something for our guests to show them how capable everyone here is in certain types of activities and so they would have a wide range of things to do to keep their time filled and productive! I was thinking maybe you could...give us a show?” The grin on the arachnid’s face told Charlie everything she needed to know about how he interpreted her request. 

“You do remember that my services need to be paid for, right Char? What are you willing to pay in exchange for a show from me?” Charlie sighed at the cocky face Angel had on his face. 

“Extra good points for the whole week especially if you manage not to use a pole, strip, and keep everything modest and how we would want it at the hotel.” Angel’s eyes widened comically and two of his hands fist bumped the air. 

“Yes! Score!” Alastor walked in just in time to hear some of the conversation before Angel was bounding up the stairs with his plate in his hands. 

“Are you sure that’s a good idea, my dear? We both know of our Dear Angel Dust’s kind of services and skills.” He turned his attention away from the spider demon’s retreating back and towards Charlie, who shrugged her shoulders with a hesitant smile. 

“I guess I’ll just have to trust Angel to not embarrass us any further.” 

“A very risky decision you have made, my dear! I’ll hope for my entertainment’s sake that he does catch the interest of our new patrons!” He noticed how Charlie tried to cheer herself up on her decision of letting Angel do this and then looked up into Alastor’s eyes. 

“How about you cook for us, Al? You’re such an excellent cook and that Jambalaya you made us the first time you came was amazing!” Alastor’s eyes narrowed and the sound of static came from his staff for a moment before he turned around, throwing his hands up.

“I’d love to, my dear! I just need you to tell me when they’ll be arriving so I can start as soon as possible!” Charlie smiled brightly and hugged Vaggie tightly when her girlfriend came close enough for her to be grabbed. “This is going to blow them away definitely!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [my twitter](https://twitter.com/radi0Iust)


	3. Dancing with Tears in my Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angel’s voice flowed softly with the song, full of emotion and Alastor could’ve believed that Angel was actually dancing with tears in his eyes.

Angel had not let any of them know what he was planning for the little show they were preparing for. Alastor kindly declined. His involvement with the food was more than enough. He didn’t need to humiliate himself with such foolish acts. But he had to admit that he looked forward to them. It would serve for much entertainment, after all. 

Charlie somehow had managed to even get Husker to do some drinks at his bar to astound their guests when they arrived. She finally gave them a name, Baxter and Crymini. A mad scientist and a teenager. The princess’ ways of attracting weird and wayward souls truly continued to surprise Alastor, but that was the whole point of him investing in this hotel. 

Vaggie was going to be playing them an instrument. Angel had pestered her long and hard about what that instrument could be, also teasing her an incredible amount. Alastor was amused and astonished that Vaggie had kept herself from stabbing the spider with her harpoon. 

“But you gotta admit it’s too funny, toots. How could you know to play an instrument? I’m more likely to get to heaven!” Angel wheezed on the couch as Vaggie turned redder with each word, her bows turning to horns. Yet the spider demon was unfazed about the fact that the other demoness could literally kill him any moment. Because they both knew she wouldn’t. Not at the cost of making her dear Charlie sad.

It would’ve all been fine. Had Alastor’s curiosity got the best of him? The saying was ‘curiosity killed the cat’ not ‘curiosity killed the deer’. And of course, he couldn’t actually be killed simply by curiosity but it absolutely got the best of him when he heard the music coming from Angel’s room. It was loud enough to be heard from the floor right below it but nowhere else and it was Alastor’s luck that his room in the hotel was right below Angel’s. 

He walked up the stairs towards the source of the music. It wasn’t something he expected someone as modern and outgoing as Angel Dust would play. They were songs from Ruth Etting. Alastor remembered listening to her on the radio, but by now, he had forgotten what this particular song was. Nevertheless, her music was unmistakable. 

The time was late, so it explained why Angel was still awake. Though it didn’t explain why he wasn’t getting ready for bed rather than playing songs this late. 

“Somehow, I can’t feel that way.” 

Alastor pressed his ears against the door. He realized that what he had first thought to have been Ruth’s voice was actually Angel’s and it intrigued him even more, so he stayed where he was to continue listening. 

“I’ve been dancing with tears in my eyes. Cause the boy in my arms wasn’t you.” 

Angel’s voice flowed softly with the song, full of emotion and Alastor could’ve believed that Angel was actually dancing with tears in his eyes. The song must be something very precious for Angel if he was singing it so well and with so much emotion. Then Alastor thought about something. 

If Angel were referring to him, his soulmate, as the person with who he wasn’t dancing with. The thought wasn’t dug any deeper into. Alastor wasn’t interested in entertaining Angel through something that he couldn’t give anymore. That did not mean he wasn’t interested in listening to Angel’s voice without the barrier of the door and he slowly sunk into the shadows and reappeared in Angel’s room. 

The arachnid was walking around the room while he was singing, in one of those half sweaters and shorts, cleaning and rearranging his room for some reason. Alastor hadn’t seen him come back, Husker was still on duty at the bar and Angel had been exactly on time today. 

So he hadn’t noticed the bruises on his eyes. Husker probably didn’t either, because Angel had covered it with makeup. Although now, without all of those layers, the purple bruising on his cheek was obvious. And so was the blood on his upper arm that looked a lot like a bite mark. 

“Dancing with somebody new. When it’s you my heart’s calling to.” 

The Radio Demon was snapped out of his thoughts when Angel’s voice cut through them. And Angel should’ve heard the slight static in the air, or even felt it, for that matter, considering how sensitive he is to everything around him. But he either didn’t notice this time, or he knew Alastor was in the room and he chose to ignore it. 

“Trying to smile, once in a while. But I find it so hard to do…” 

“For I’ve been dancing with tears in my eyes. Cause the boy in my arms wasn’t you…”

Angel placed Fat Nuggets down on the bed so he didn’t bother and trip him while he was sweeping away all of the paper on the floor. Sometimes, Angel liked to write things on these papers for his soulmate, telling them about his day and what he had to go through and how he would’ve loved to meet them one day. But they ultimately ended up crumbled in the trash and burned by Niffty. There was no way he’d keep something so embarrassing for Valentino to find and use against him. 

“While the throng’s in the spell of a song, my thoughts keep drifting to you…” 

Alastor noticed the crumbled pieces of paper and noticed how each of them had been heavily written on. They weren’t just any lists or insignificant pieces of paper, there must be something deeper in them and Alastor hated how he wanted to know what was written in them. 

The static from his staff came again and this time, Angel felt his hairs standing on end. He’d felt it before but thought it was just the cold air coming from the air conditioner. This meant that either someone was watching him or even in the same room as him and watching him. And he was pretty sure he knew who it was. 

“Smiles, it’s rude to spy in the shadows, you know,” Alastor’s lips twitched up into his usual grin - not that he would ever be caught dead without it, even alone - and he stepped out of the shadows. 

“Angel Dust! What a spectacular performance you just gave! My, I never would’ve thought in all of my years in this place, that you, of all people, could sing so well! I merely didn’t want to disturb!” Angel wasn’t sure how he should feel, insulted or otherwise, but he still crossed both sets of his arms and leveled Alastor with a slight glare. 

“Still so creepy, Smiles. Don’t ever do that, ya hear me? Just come in like every normal person in this hotel if you want to listen to me sing.” Alastor narrowed his eyes a little as his grin widened. 

“Why, thank you for the lovely invitation, Angel Dust! I think I will make the most of it! Your voice is truly lovely! And you know I don’t tease...much.” Angel snorted and turned around, lifting Fat Nuggets up from the bed and turning the music from his phone off, letting the silence fall between them, the only thing left being Alastor’s static coming from his staff. The music must’ve been the reason he couldn’t hear it but then felt it when it got stronger. 

The sight of his mark between his shoulder blades made the static sound in the room flare up a little before he calmed himself. Just in time for Angel to turn around and look at him.

“You? Don’t tease? I’ll believe it once you stop, Smiles. Now get out, I want to sleep.” He walked over and Alastor could see the more numerous bruises hiding under his fur. The demon refrained from mentioning anything. It wasn’t his problem after all, not something he should get involved with. Especially when it came to Angel Dust. 

“Very well. I’m sure you’ve had a very long night. Sleep well, Angel Dust!” He opened the door this time to walk out, watching as Angel walked him to the door leaning against it with a grin on his face. 

“You can come over to listen to me tomorrow if you like. No charge. Cause we’re friends and I don’t charge friends.” He winked at him and Alastor flustered.

“Goodnight, Angel Dust.” 

“Goodnight, Smiles.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [my twitter](https://twitter.com/radi0Iust)


	4. I've got Secrets that Nobody Knows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alastor did not feel anything other than amusement and sometimes awe towards the pornstar and that was all it was going to stay as.

The day Baxter and Crymini arrived, the hotel was a mess. Well, the demons inside them were a mess but the hotel was in spotless condition. 

Alastor was standing off to the side while Charlie ran around to make sure everything was perfect - she’s already checked about 30 times already - and then dusting off her pants. Everyone changed their outfits for today - except Alastor, he liked his clothes already and they were fine - and looked really nice. 

Even Angel wore his most ‘modest’ outfit. His chest was still fluffed up and half out but he’s said many times that it was just fluff and they should stop getting their knickers in a twist. Of course, the only person who complained about his way of dressing was Vaggie and all of those comments were directed at her. 

Alastor didn’t much mind how Angel was dressed today. The off-shoulder, knee-length dress was some of the most elegant pieces of clothing he’s seen on the arachnid. And the maroon color...Alastor stopped himself before he could lick over his lips and turned his attention back to Vagatha, who was screaming at Angel and her bow ends turning sharp as her anger spiked while Angel just stared off to the side in boredom.

But Alastor’s thoughts continued on their own, without his consent and it was the first time he found it hard to control his thoughts. The color reminded him of the blood splattered on the walls in his broadcasting room that he never bothered to clean up and there was a short burst of static that made everyone in the room quiet down and Alastor managed to stay calm, narrowing his eyes at Vaggie and Angel. 

“Please, Vagatha! Could you stop arguing with Angel Dust over something he will clearly not change? I think the sound of Charlotte fretting in the background is enough of a headache already, don’t you think?” His grin widened as he looked at the two and Angel blinked, smiling back at Alastor who took a step back, unconsciously putting more distance between him and the pornstar. 

“You’re so sexy when you get mad, Smiles. Makes me want to see what that annoyance will turn to in bed.” His golden tooth glistened under the lights of the room and Alastor’s eyebrow twitched for a moment and static filled the room. 

“It will be my next broadcast, Angel Dust! You, of all people, should know the best, my dear!” Angel turned bright red and recoiled for a moment, huffing and crossing his two sets of his arms. 

He didn’t know how Alastor knew that Angel tuned in to his broadcasts from the moment he had known about them, but he did and it vexed him. He thought it was something that he could keep a secret but obviously, the demon either spied on all of them or tracked down Angel’s radio signal back to the hotel and into his room. Either way, he was pouting and puffing out a cheek. 

“Stalker. At least pay if you’re going to look.” He grumbled and put one leg over the other and crossed one set of his arms. Alastor paid him no mind, turning his attention back to the front of the door and he felt the demons before their shadows appeared behind the glass and they pushed the doors open.

Baxter’s face and the little ball of light dangling from his head was an anglerfish. He was wearing a dark blue coat with turquoise lining, which matched the glowing lines and dots on his face. He was an interesting figure to see, considering that so many demons just came here with red or white faces and bodies, it made others like Baxter very interesting for Alastor.

Crymini was a typical hellhound, one solid color of off-white with spots and pink lines. She was the embodiment of a teenager, chewing gum and on her phone, typing away with someone who was probably just as phone-obsessed as she was. Perhaps with anger issues too. Very standard for hellhounds considering how they grow up. 

“Baxter! Crymini! Welcome, welcome, welcome!” Charlie immediately burst into a smile at the sight of them, almost zooming over behind them and wrapping her arms around their shoulders and Crymini grimaced, pushing her hand away. “This is our happy hotel! We are so happy to have you! We can give you a tour of the entire place and you can choose if you’d like to stay with us! Our friends, Vaggie and Angel Dust also have a show prepared for you and it shows that we offer so many forms of therapy including dance and music! The little demon is Niffty, the one behind the bar is Husker and I’m sure you both know of Alastor! He’s been helping us around the Hotel.” 

Angel Dust winked at Baxter and Crymini, standing up from his place at the bar and extending a hand for Baxter and Crymini to shake. “Hope to entertain you enough to stay, sweethearts.” Crymini pulled her hand back immediately and Angel laughed, a grin stretching across his face.

“I don’t think your kind of entertainment is what we’re looking for, Angel Dust.” 

“Wouldn’t really give it to you for free either, sugar tits. You’re not exactly my preferred gender.” Crymini scowled at him and went back to texting on her phone while Baxter was speaking to Charlie. 

“Yes, and you told me that it would be okay for me to continue performing my experiments in my room? Or would you prefer I take two rooms for this particular thing?” Charlie smiled nervously and rubbed the back of her neck, going to speak but Vaggie cut in. 

“So long as you don’t blow the place up and make too much noise and come to all the required sessions and actually work to be better, then yes, you can even have two rooms after we see that you’ve made exceptional progress.” Baxter seemed hesitant seeing all the requirements he needed to fulfill just so that he could continue with his work in the afterlife and Charlie quickly grabbed them by their hands. 

“H-Hey! Let’s go to the ballroom now! Angel and Vaggie will be performing there and I’m sure seeing how far they’ve come and the things we offer here, you won’t have a doubt in your mind about joining us!” 

Alastor followed them to the ball amusedly. Truly this was better than he had hoped for Charlie’s little redemption project, she was trying so hard to get them to join and actually go along with everything and her suffering was so delicious.

He noticed Angel disappearing from the corner of his eyes and his grin widened, wondering what the arachnid was up to and he sent his shadow over to take a look and report back to him. Alastor expected to hear that Angel was trying to sneak back out and escape, or perhaps wreck something without Charlie knowing and then having her get angry at him again. Yet he could’ve not anticipated that Angel was actually getting ready for his performance even if that was what the shadow told him.

Niffty was nowhere to be seen and neither was Husker and Alastor could’ve been sure that they were following along with them even though Husker was reluctant and Niffty wanted to go ahead every time and make sure the rooms were perfect before their guests entered. 

The lights dimmed slowly until only the floating candles around them were burning and a soft spotlight shone in the middle of the ballroom. Charlie clapped happily and hurriedly pushed their guests to sit in the chairs that were prepared and Alastor sat behind them. 

When Angel lowered from the ceiling, the strings that were woven together like silk sheets glistened under the light. Alastor knew that Angel probably made it himself because they don’t just sell spider webs like that. He was sitting on it like it was a swing, his face looking down at the ground away from them. He was wearing a red embellished bodysuit, almost like splattered blood all across his skin and Alastor was reminded how good red looked on Angel.

Music started playing and Alastor’s ears twitched slightly. They were not the kind that he heard playing from Angel’s room the other day. This was more modern, something Alastor would never consider music to begin with. But he knew that many in the room actually enjoyed these genres nowadays. Not everyone liked to stay in their own time, after all. 

Angel entangled with the webs of silk as the music continued and stood in a gorgeous position, almost ethereal. His hands didn’t get mixed up, having practiced this routine a thousand times and when the lyrics finally started, he slowly climbed up the silks, letting the music wash over everyone. 

“I need a gangsta...to love me better...than all the others do…” 

Angel only went halfway to the top before he stopped and tangled up his feet around the silks, showing how his body could hold itself up with nothing more than these silks than could snap if handled too roughly. It showed that Angel was being so gentle with them while at the same time executing such body positions that perhaps with others would take much more than just sheer will alone. 

“To always forgive me...ride or die with me...that’s just what gangsters do…” 

At the end of that part, he let go of the silks holding him up by the hands and would’ve plummeted straight to the ground had the silks wrapped around his foot not caught him, swaying him round the ballroom and right on top of their heads. Alastor’s eyes caught Angel’s for a split second before the arachnid bent himself forward and grabbed the silks again to hoist himself up into a new position and continue with his show.

“I’m fucked up... I’m black and blue,”

“I’m built for it, all the abuse…”

“I’ve got secrets, that nobody, nobody, nobody knows,”

That reminded Alastor of that night when he’d seen the bruises under Angel’s fur. All hidden and out of sight from everyone because the spider demon knew that he would get into trouble and beaten even worse for it if anyone tried to mess with Valentino’s favorite pornstar. 

“I’m good on...that pussy shit,” 

Angel looked towards them for a moment to grin and wink and then his expression fell back into place flawlessly, turning around to dangle with only one of his arms supporting him while he looped his leg around the silks again.

“I don’t want...what I can get,” 

“I want someone...with secrets that nobody, nobody, nobody knows,” 

Alastor’s hold on his staff tightened and he never realized how the smile on his face had diminished until that moment and he was thankful that he had sat behind the rest and they didn’t notice the troubled expression on Alastor’s face. His staff made a little sound, almost like a distressed radio and he quickly composed himself, standing up and bending over towards Charlie. 

“I will be in the upper levels of your hotel, my dear, checking on everything while Niffty is busy. Do not worry, I won’t do anything that will ruin your plans.” He laughed a little and then turned on his heels, walking right out of the ballroom because he couldn’t handle staying in there anymore. 

It was almost like he was suffocating and the mark on his shoulder burned so much more than any of the fires in hell did. Was this what everyone had spoken about when he was still alive? The unignorable attraction to your soulmate? Alastor had tried not to be affected by it and he wondered if these stupid feelings waring inside of him was because he knew that Angel was his supposed soulmate, but he knew that that wasn’t the case. 

This wasn’t the human world anymore. They didn’t play by their rules and if Alastor had wanted to ignore and kill Angel, he would’ve done so long ago without any regard to Charlie’s hotel or Valentino’s contract with the spider. 

He walked up the stairs, thinking the walk would help him stop and think for a moment. 

Alastor despised this. He despised the mark on his shoulder that tied him to Anel and also for his own body and mind to betray him in this way. Alastor did not feel anything other than amusement and sometimes awe towards the pornstar and that was all it was going to stay as. 

That was all it must stay as.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [my twitter](https://twitter.com/radi0Iust)

**Author's Note:**

> [my twitter](https://twitter.com/radi0Iust)


End file.
